Thursday, August 28, 2014

Bunny Family's new arrival.

Greetings!

I am so excited to announce a wonderful news about the Bunny Family. Bunny Family welcomed their new bundle of joy, few days ago. Among all the dolls that I have made, Bunny Family is one of my favorites. When I saw this Bunny Family on Jeangreenhowe's website, I went mad. I bought the book called 'The Toy Collection' because of the two things that amused me in the book. One, 'The Bunny Family' and the other one, 'Grandpa and Grandma HumptyDumpty'. 

Few days ago, an idea occurred to me that I should make an itty-bitty girl bunny doll, so that the big sister bunny will have a company to play with. So here she is, happily enjoying in this handmade baby carriage. 


I felt so much joy to make this little Baby Buggy. The blanket is knitted. The little bunny's bunny doll and the feeding bottle are purchased.(Calico critters)




This is how I imagined this Bunny Family to be.




I found the pattern for this itty-bitty bunny from  'Little cotton Rabbits'. This doll is very easy to knit and can be finished in a jiffy.

Will be back soon with my next doll :)

Sunday, August 24, 2014

The Victorian Dining room.

Greetings!

After I made 'The Victorian Kitchen', I wanted to make a dining room scene. With the things I already have, I added some more things and made this scene.


 The dining table and chairs, the dresser and small table next to the dresser are all taken from my Victorian kitchen. The china on the dresser, is purchased from a doll house store. Some of the food that are kept on the dining table are already shown in the Victorian Kitchen. The candelabra is made out of beads and the candle is made out of play dough. The fruit stand on the table is made out of beads and the grapes are made from the play dough. Play dough is quite handy to make some quick things at the last minute. The eggs on the dresser and the omletes on the plate, the turkey in an oval plate on the dining table is also a last minute addition, made from the play dough. The yellow fondant cake is knitted. The goblets are made out of beads and the wine bottle is made from polymer clay. The flower vase on the dresser is knitted.  The concertina screen, is made out of cardboard and a decorative paper is added to the screen. The plant stand and the potted plant next to the screen are made out of odds and ends that I found at home. The maid servant is made out of clay and fabric, and the cook is a paper doll. The sizes of the dolls are not even, but I added these dolls in the scene to create some effect.


I made the man sit on the chair but, the lady is not a flexible doll. In this scene I try to make it look as though the lady is trying to give some orders to the maid, before she sits to start her dinner.

I made some knitted food from Jeangreenhowe's website. I used fine yarn and thin needles to get a miniature size, but they did not turnout as good as Jean's knitted food. There was no place on the table so I placed these food on the small table next to the dresser. The knitted food consists of a cheese sandwich with onion slices, sandwich with salmon and tomatoes, half scotch egg, cracker with cheese topped with parsley and a sausage roll. I hope at least they look like food :)........


Well, I did have a wicked time making these things. I am wearing many hats, right now. I am knitting a doll for a gift, crocheting a doll, making some miniature projects, a sewing project left half done and also since the booker prize season has began, I have started a novel called 'The Lives of Others' by Neel Mukherjee. When ever an Indian is on the long list I make sure I read that book.





Making a Victorian Dolls House.

Greetings!

Just two weeks ago I discovered that my favorite designer Jeangreenhowe, has written a dolls house book. It's called 'Making a Victorian Dolls House'. As soon as I learnt about this book I started looking for it. Before Jean started designing knitted dolls, she has written different other books, which were published by different publishers. Unfortunately, all these books are out of print now. But some of the second hand books are available on Amazon. I found this book on Amazon. This book was published in 1978, so most of the pictures in the book are black and white, with very few color photos.


As usual, I don't have words to praise Jean. One might feel the same thing by seeing the cover photo of the book. Her books are always simple, beautiful and easy to make. In this book, Jean has shown that the most ordinary everyday odds and ends can be transformed into delightful miniature ornaments and furnishings. Instructions and diagrams are given to construct a miniature Victorian house with three rooms, and for making each floor and for adding suitable decor for the kitchen, parlour, master bedroom and nursery. The inhabitants of the house are not forgotten. Instructions are given to make the peg dolls and the flexible dolls. There are ideas to make 1890's Milliner's shop, and market stalls along with a peg doll dressed as a street vendor.

I enjoyed making 'The Victorian Kitchen' from Vivienne Boulton's 'The Doll House Decorator'. I am also planning to make other rooms from the book, but I am quite sure that I will definitely enjoy jean's wonderful ideas from this book as well. 

Among all the rooms in a doll house, kitchen and dining are my favorite rooms. I always wanted to make a very simple kitchen. This is one of the pictures from the book and I just loved the simplicity of the kitchen.


I will soon be trying some of the projects from the book :)

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Victorian lady.

Greetings!

The second family member of the 'Victorian Family', 'The Victorian Lady' is ready. Many wonderful novelty dolls were produced in the Victorian era and this continued to the twentieth century. One of the most popular was the upside-down or topsy-turvy, combining two dolls in one. In the past, these dolls were manufactured in many different materials, including cloth, ceramic, composition and celluloid. 
This is Jeangreenhowe's knitted version.

I used size 'zero' knitting needles and Lion brand's Bon-Bons, to get a tiny doll, that can fit inside a doll house.



The draw string purse and the parasol are knitted in an 'Edwardian Style' designed by YvonneWakefield. But, I feel the purse is kind of big for the doll. In the book the author has used British size 20, which for instance, no equivalent in America. As a result, I used size 'zero' knitting needles the smallest needle available and still could not make it smaller than this. I made done adjustments even for the parasol.


Finally, 'The Man and Wife' can pose together.


Also felt like playing along with these dolls, so made some scenes inside a doll house :)



I still have to make their children. But before I proceed, I have to make couple of other dolls for gifts. Again there will be a long break from this project :(

Stay tuned!


Friday, August 8, 2014

Miss. Peggy.

Greetings!

I finally finished this custom order. It was quite fun to make a personalized doll. Miss. Muffin, of Dumpling village is again made with slight variation. The person who ordered this doll, wanted Miss. Muffin to resemble her. So this doll is called Miss. Peggy. The doll is having a blonde hair and holding a coffee mug, instead of a tea pot to show that she is a 'coffee lover'.



I had to make up the mug, since there was no pattern for 'mug' in the book. I thought it turned out fine. Below is the picture of original 'Miss. Muffin'.


Miss. Peggy was quite happy and she will keep this doll in her kitchen.


Finally will be working on 'The Victorian family' :)


Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Victorian Kitchen.

Greetings!

The Victorian Kitchen, the most popular among the doll'house enthusiasts is ready. Phew! I am quite relieved. So many tiny items can be included- cooking utensils, gadgets, copper saucepans, food both fresh and cooked, basket of vegetables, bowls, jugs and basins.




Nineteenth-century Victorian England saw the rapid expansion of towns and cities, with housing developments springing up to eater for people moving into the cities, seek work in factories. There were larger and grander houses, that included servants' quarters. They are comfortably wealthy and are likely to have employed servants to take over the household tasks.

Rows of gingham-covered jars housing last summer's bounty can stock larder shelves or be putout for display.




The 19th century saw the beginnings of modern plumbing.






The kitchen catalog for other things are discussed in detail in my previous blogpost. Indeed! It was a great fun to make this project and this is the first big miniature project I worked on. Next I want to move on to the next rooms probably, 'The Master Bedroom'.

Finally want to include the comments from my forum members :) 


a regular here
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wow, that is amazing.
 
amanda81164
 
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 Aug 3, 14 19:59:04
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Very cool,I love doll's houses and miniature room settings!
 
Living happily on God's little acre
 
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 Aug 3, 14 20:05:43
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I LOVE it- 
it's sooo realistic -
you are amazing!
thanks for sharing : )
 
NY Hummer ~ A Sheltie Mom ~
Lass says: Are these the Dog Days of Summer??!
 
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 Aug 3, 14 20:08:17
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This is so adorable.... I have a friend who is big into minatures.... she is in a group of widow ladies and they have lunch together weekly and work or their projects.... I don't see how they are able to make all of these small items by hand... my hands are so large I think it would be hard for me, but I certainly enjoy seeing what you are able to accomplish... it is a real gift.

Thanks again for sharing your work...or pleasure with us!!! Jane in Memphis, TN
 
janeafennell
 
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 Aug 3, 14 20:11:37
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A beautiful accomplishment!
 
kwharrod
 
 
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 Aug 3, 14 20:17:25
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Went to a miniature museum and they had nothing on you. Great imagination and perfect work.
 
Janicesei
 
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 Aug 3, 14 22:01:58
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Very nice.
 
jadancey